


Love's Labours

by FannyT



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers Tower, Basically fluff really, Five Times, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-12
Updated: 2015-02-12
Packaged: 2018-03-11 05:42:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3316304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FannyT/pseuds/FannyT
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>It wasn't easy, being Cupid in a world where people no longer tended to believe in true love. </i>
</p><p> </p><p>Five times when Cupid failed to make Steve and Tony fall in love, and one time he called in a favor to Clint Barton, who made it look easy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love's Labours

**Author's Note:**

> This was written over two years ago for a prompt at avengerkink (original prompt found [here](http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/13316.html?thread=30309892#t30309892)), but I just realised I never posted it here. Thought I might as well dust it off in time for Valentine's Day. :)

**I.**  
Cupid double-checked his assignment again, making sure he got it right. (Last month with those twins had been an embarrassing failure he was not keen to repeat.) Yes, there it was—Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. 

He looked down at the group of Avengers below him, who'd just dragged the Iron Man out of the water after an ill-advised piece of last-minute heroics for their current mission. Steve was on his knees beside him, fumbling at Tony's helmet to free his face. 

Perfect, Cupid thought. There was already fondness there, and they should just need that spark to get going. This was as good a moment as any. Steve would give Tony the kiss of life, with other kisses to follow shortly after. Textbook. 

He lined up his shot, and was just about to fire when something wooshed past his ear, making him lose his focus. His shot went wildly awry, and when he looked down at the group again he saw the big one—Thor, he remembered from the file in his assignment—touching down beside the other Avengers with one arm around a man in green scrubs. 

"I have brought a nurse!" he boomed. "He is trained in the profession of bringing dead men back to life. In my home that is called necromancy and is frowned upon, but this is another world with other rules."

Steve jumped up and moved away quickly, and the nurse bent down over Tony with a very professional air (although not without a muttered complaint about crazy aliens interrupting his coffee break). 

"If Tony is going to insist on finishing all missions on this kind of grand note, I suggest we employ this nurse man indefinitely," Thor said, as Tony soon jerked upright, coughing and spluttering. 

"I won't disagree with you there," Steve said. He looked pale, but was smiling again. "Had I known you'd end up doing this all the time, I'd never have called you unheroic, Tony. Please go back to being a self-serving robot man."

"You're just jealous," Tony croaked, then bent over and retched up more water. 

Cupid swore under his breath.

 **II.**  
Since saving New York from a giant whale monster entitled the Avengers to medals, Cupid had a new chance not long after. There was a ceremony the day after their mission, with all the Avengers turned out in their finest and shaking hands all around with important people. With both his targets out of their superhero costumes and seeing each other in tuxes, it had to be a good opportunity to sow some seeds of romance, Cupid thought. 

He hovered close over the Avengers, invisible to human eyes, and waited for his chance. 

"So is this your first time?" he heard Tony mutter to Steve, once they had respite from the hand-shaking. "Getting a medal."

"Not at all. Bucky made me one for surviving my first playground fight when we were eight," Steve shot back. Tony grinned at him. "But from the city of New York? Yes."

"Well, pro tip," Tony said, nodding towards the stage, "avoid the weaselly-looking man on the right who looks as though he's swallowed a lemon. He's stuck a pin in me before. I think he's been looking forward to a chance to do it again."

"I think that's a fantasy shared by many otherwise good men, actually," Steve said, and Tony snorted back a laugh. As good a chance as any, Cupid thought. He fired.

Unfortunately for him, at that instant the microphone crackled into life and both Tony and Steve turned towards the stage. The arrow whispered past Tony's shoulder and disintegrated. 

Since were both now focusing on the woman speaking on stage, Cupid's chance was again gone. He sat back and waited, disgruntled. 

Any hope he had of achieving another properly romantic moment was shattered when the Avengers were called out to deal with what appeared to be the whale monster's partner in the middle of the medals ceremony. On the other hand, at least it meant that he didn't have to suffer through any more of the tedious speeches. 

Cupid called it a day, thoroughly annoyed.

 **III.**  
The Avengers shared a building. Living together already, Cupid thought. That ought to make things easier. 

He watched from the rafters as Steve and Tony made smoothies in the kitchen together. It looked sweet and domestic, with both of them laughing and handing ingredients back and forth to each other. There was only one way to make the scene even sweeter, and Cupid had it. He sighted on Tony first, and let fly. 

In that moment, Tony ducked to avoid an orange Steve had just tossed carelessly at him. The arrow missed him by inches, but hit the orange. It burst. 

Tony rose again, covered in orange juice and pulp. There was silence for a moment, and then Steve exploded with laughter, holding on to a counter top to steady himself.

"Dummy!" Tony roared. "Dummy, if that was you I swear that this time you'll go on the scrap heap!"

Well. That moment had passed. Cupid fled the scene to come up with a new plan, the sound of Steve's laughter following him all the way out of the building. 

**IV.**  
It wasn't easy, being Cupid in a world where people no longer tended to believe in true love. A modern Cupid had to have more tricks up his sleeve than just the old bow and arrows, and that was why he was currently preparing to fuse a door lock. 

"Tony," Steve said, stepping past Cupid into the lab, "everyone else is already at the meeting. Could you put down that thing for half an hour and come? Fury and Natasha have news about Hai Pòng that's kind of urgent."

Perfect timing. Cupid plunged his arrow deep into the locking panel and watched the door seal shut with satisfaction, then turned. Tony and Steve were both staring at the door.

"It's generally a bad thing when that happens," Tony said, putting a hand to his earpiece. "Fury? Steve and I may be a while. And we may need some help. Looks like the door to the lab just sealed itself."

Steve stepped past Cupid and wrenched at the door. 

"No," Tony said behind him, "I don't think it's going to be that simple. Steve's trying it now, but there are protocols for this lab. What? Well, the kind that usually has _In the event of hazardous outbreak_ in the title."

"Oh, _great_ ," Steve said, turning and slumping against the door. "So what's the quarantine time?" 

"Three hours," Tony said promptly, then looked thoughtful. "Or wait, is it three days?"

Steve sighed and touched his own hand to his ear. "Fury, how about you get everyone who has knowledge of computers and locks down here _right now_."

Cupid looked at the both of them and rubbed his hands. The stage was set. Confinement together was _bound_ to work, it was a classic. Now all they needed was a little push. 

He put the arrow to his bow, sighted and let fly. 

Steve's hand shot out, lightning quick, and crushed the arrow in his fist. 

"What?" Tony said. 

Steve opened his hand, puzzled. "Thought something was heading for my face," he said. "Guess I imagined it."

Cupid fumbled frantically for another arrow, then realised. He'd left his quiver outside the lab. And all right, he was an invisible supernatural being, but even he had to follow the rules. He banged his head against the wall. 

"So, we're stuck here until someone gets us out? Any suggestions for how to pass the time?" Steve said, without the slightest hint of innuendo. Cupid wanted to cry.

"Well, I'm not spending my time locked up sober, that's for sure. Let's start with getting our drink on," Tony said, fishing a bottle and two glasses out of a drawer. Steve rolled his eyes. 

"I still can't get drunk. No matter how much you keep trying." 

"Good, more for me," Tony said, pouring himself a generous measure. "I've got cards, too."

Steve shrugged. "Might as well."

It was four and a half hours before the team managed to override the lockdown protocol. Cupid spent the time watching Tony cheat at cards and hating his life.

 **V.**  
When Cupid found Steve and Tony watching a film together, huddled in a soft sofa in the common TV room, he thought that the world was finally helping him out. So when Tony turned his head and leaned in to mutter something in Steve's ear just as Cupid shot, taking himself out of the arrow's path once more, Cupid finally had to admit himself defeated. 

It was time to call in a professional. 

**VI.**  
"Please," Cupid said. 

Clint Barton stared at him, curiously. "So are you some sort of alien?" he said. "Know a guy called Thor?"

"Only through the files," Cupid said. "Look, I just need help getting your two friends together. I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't desperate. I've never failed a mission yet," (well, not technically, he added to himself,) "but these two are making it completely impossible. And I read your file. I haven't seen marksmanship like that ever before. Please help."

Clint considered this for a moment, then shrugged and held out his hand. Cupid gave him the bow, second-guessing himself all the way. Materialising in front of a human was bad enough—asking one for help had to be right up there with the wrong twin debacle. 

Clint gave the bow an experimental pull, then winced. "The give in this is terrible," he said. "No wonder you can't hit your mark."

Cupid scowled. "It works perfectly, thank you very much," he said. "I've never had trouble with it. The problem is with those two."

Clint made an unimpressed face. "Fine, I'll give it a try," he said. "I just shoot them both, or what?"

"Thank you," Cupid said. "Come with me." He laid a hand on Clint's arm, and Clint flinched. 

"What was that?" 

"I just took you into my reality," Cupid said impatiently. "I think they'd be suspicious if they could actually see you aiming a bow at them, don't you?"

"A _toy_ bow," Clint muttered, but picked up the quiver of arrows and followed Cupid to the TV room. 

Steve and Tony were still watching the film, although they seemed more interested in fighting over the popcorn at the moment.

"One arrow into each of them," Cupid said. "It should work even if you just hit either of them, it's more of a kick-start, but to be on the safe side I try to—"

Clint reached back over his shoulder and shot one arrow into Steve and then immediately one into Tony. Cupid's mouth fell open. 

"How did you—I've been trying to get at those two for over a week!" he exclaimed, astonished. "What did you do?"

Clint shrugged, handing the bow and quiver back. 

"It helps to know it's not actually necessary," he said. 

Cupid frowned at him, then at Steve and Tony. "But they're not doing anything!" he said accusingly. 

"Like I said," Clint said. He was looking at Steve and Tony, too, a hint of a smile on his face. "Not necessary; Steve and Tony have been in love with each other for months. We're all just waiting for them to realise it now. If this helps, fine—if not, I'm sure they'll figure it out soon anyway."

Cupid stared at him, mouth open. 

"Just report it to your superiors as a success," Clint suggested, grinning at him, then seemed to think of something. "Wait, does this mean you owe me a favour now?"

Cupid groaned, running a hand over his eyes. He could remember a time when missions had been easy. 

Then again, he thought when he turned back and threw a last look at Steve and Tony smiling at each other, there was something about them that stayed the same through the eons. 

"Don't get any ideas," he told Clint, who laughed at him, and they left Steve and Tony to discover each other in peace.


End file.
